Composite gate structure in an integrated circuit

ABSTRACT

An integrated circuit having composite gate structures and a method of forming the same are provided. The integrated circuit includes a first MOS device, a second MOS device and a third MOS device. The gate stack of the first MOS device includes a high-k gate dielectric and a first metal gate on the high-k gate dielectric. The gate stack of the second MOS device includes a second metal gate on a high-k gate dielectric. The first metal gate and the second metal gate have different work functions. The gate stack of the third MOS device includes a silicon gate over a gate dielectric. The silicon gate is preferably formed over the gate stacks of the first MOS device and the second MOS device.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No.11/158,764, filed on Jun. 22, 2005 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,183,596, entitled“Composite Gate Structure in an Integrated Circuit,” which applicationis hereby incorporated herein by reference.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application relates to the following co-pending and commonlyassigned patent application: U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/377,105, filed Mar. 16, 2006, entitled “Semiconductor Device withHigh-K Gate Dielectric,” which application is incorporated herein byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates generally to semiconductor devices, and morespecifically to the gate formation of MOS devices.

BACKGROUND

CMOS has been the basic logic building block in the digital-dominantworld for decades. Device dimensions have been continuously shrunk inorder to achieve higher performance as well as higher packing density.Technology advancement demands more and more functions to be integratedon a single chip, and thus one MOS design cannot fulfill allrequirements in an integrated circuit. For example, in a traditionalcircuit that employs micron technology or earlier technologies, theoperation voltage of the core circuit was typically in a range of about2.5V to 3.3V. However, as the integrated circuit size continues toshrink, the core operation voltage is lowered. When the deep sub microntechnology is employed, the size of a circuit is further reduced toabout 0.25, 0.18 or even 0.13 micron, and the operation voltage drops toaround 1V. It is expected that the core operation voltage will continueto fall when the integrated circuit size continues to shrink. While thecore operation voltage falls, the operation voltage of the I/O circuitoften stays at a higher value. As a result, the MOS devices in the I/Ocircuit and the core circuit are expected to work under differentoperation voltages.

Scaling of the integrated circuit also causes other problems. Intraditional IC processes, gate electrodes are typically formed ofpolysilicon. One of the reasons for polysilicon's wide use is that thework function of polysilicon gate electrodes can be changed easily bydoping with different impurities. However, polysilicon has depletionproblems, so metal gate electrodes were introduced, particularly fordevice formation in core regions, to avoid the poly depletionphenomenon.

Previously discussed issues demand customized manufacturing processes.U.S. Pat. No. 6,432,776 provides an integrated circuit having a coresection and an I/O section. A device in the core section includes ametal gate and a thin oxide gate dielectric, while a device in the I/Osection has a polysilicon gate and a thick oxide gate dielectric. U.S.Pat. No. 6,777,761 also discloses an integrated circuit having tworegions. In a first region, a device comprises a pure metal gate and anoxide gate dielectric. In a second region, a device comprises apolysilicon gate and an oxide gate dielectric.

By using these prior art solutions, one part of a chip can have a devicewith a reliable, high-yield polysilicon gate, while the other part ofthe chip can have a high-performance MOS device with a metal gate. Theseintegrated circuits and manufacturing processes, however, have apotential problem. Typically, metal gates are thinner than polysilicongates to alleviate the difficulties associated with the metal etchingprocess and to improve the gate stack profile control, thus there is astep height between the top surfaces of the metal gates and thepolysilicon gates. Additionally, gate dielectrics in the core region aretypically thinner than gate dielectrics in the I/O region, furtherincreasing the step height. This step height adds complexity and costfor subsequent manufacturing processes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method offorming an integrated circuit having composite gate structures includesproviding a substrate having a first region and a second region, whereinthe first region further comprises a third region and a fourth region. Ahigh-k dielectric layer is formed on the substrate in the third andfourth regions. A first metal layer having a first work function isformed over the high-k dielectric in the third region, and a secondmetal layer having a second work function is formed over the high-kdielectric in the fourth region. The method further includes forming agate oxide layer on the substrate in the second region and a siliconlayer over the gate oxide layer. The high-k dielectric layer and thefirst metal layer in the third region are patterned to form a first gatestack of a first MOS device. The high-k dielectric layer and the secondmetal layer in the fourth region are patterned to form a second gatestack of a second MOS device, and the gate oxide layer and the siliconlayer in the second region are patterned to form a third gate stack of athird MOS device. The first and second MOS devices are preferably usedas core region devices. The third MOS device is preferably used as anI/O circuit device or other peripheral circuit device.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the siliconlayer is formed over the first metal layer and the second metal layerand is patterned as respective portions of the first gate stack and thesecond gate stack. Preferably, the second metal layer is formed in thethird region and over the first metal layer.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, anintegrated circuit having composite gate structures includes a first MOSdevice, a second MOS device and a third MOS device. The gate stack ofthe first MOS device includes a high-k gate dielectric and a first metalgate on the high-k gate dielectric. The gate stack of the second MOSdevice includes a second metal gate on the high-k gate dielectric. Thefirst metal gate and the second metal gate have different workfunctions. The gate stack of the third MOS device includes a silicongate over a gate oxide.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, thefirst MOS device is an nMOS device, and the first metal gate has a workfunction of less than about 4.6 eV. The second MOS device is a pMOSdevice, and the second metal gate has a work function of greater thanabout 4.8 eV. The balanced work functions improve the performance of theintegrated circuit.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, each ofthe gate stacks of the first and second MOS devices further includes asilicon portion over the respective first metal gate and second metalgate. The step heights between the gate stacks of different devices arereduced by adding the silicon portion. Preferably, the gate stack of thesecond device further includes an additional metal gate over the firstmetal gate, and the additional metal gate is simultaneously formed asthe second metal gate of the second MOS device is formed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and theadvantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptionstaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 1 through 10 are cross-sectional views of intermediate stages inthe manufacture of a MOS transistor embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The making and using of the presently preferred embodiments arediscussed in detail below. It should be appreciated, however, that thepresent invention provides many applicable inventive concepts that canbe embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specificembodiments discussed are merely illustrative of specific ways to makeand use the invention, and do not limit the scope of the invention.

In the preferred embodiments of the present invention, a chip includestwo regions, a first region and a second region. The devices in thefirst region and the second region have different designs and thus arecustomized for different functions. For example, the first region may bea core region wherein high performance is required, and the secondregion may be a peripheral region such as an I/O region, an analogregion, a high voltage device region, or a region for devices such aspolysilicon resistors, decoupling capacitors, etc.

The preferred embodiments are illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 10 whereinlike reference numbers are used to designate like elements throughoutthe various views and illustrative embodiments of the present invention.Throughout the description, each element number may be followed by aletter A, B, or C, indicating that the corresponding device is formed inthe third, fourth, and second regions, respectively.

FIG. 1 illustrates a gate oxide 4 formed on a substrate 2. Shallowtrench isolations 5 are formed to divide the substrate 2 into a firstregion 100 and a second region 200. The first region 100 furtherincludes a third region 110 for forming an nMOS device and a fourthregion 120 for forming a pMOS device. The substrate 2 can be formed ofcommon semiconductor containing substrate materials such as silicon,SiGe, strained silicon on SiGe, silicon on insulator (SOI), silicongermanium on insulator (SGOI), germanium on insulator (GOI), GaAs, InP,and the like. The substrate 2 may further comprise an interfacial layer(not shown) to prevent the inter-diffusion of undesired elements betweensemiconductor substrate 2 and a subsequently formed high-k dielectriclayer. Although the gate oxide 4 is referred to as an oxide, as it istypically formed of, it may comprise other materials. In the preferredembodiment, the gate oxide 4 includes SiO₂ formed by a thermal growthtechnique in a wet or dry environment, or grown by a chemical vapordeposition (CVD) technique such as low temperature CVD (LTCVD), lowpressure CVD (LPCVD), plasma enhanced CVD (PECVD), atomic layerdeposition (ALD), etc. In other embodiments, it comprises oxynitrides ornitrogen containing dielectrics, and may have an oxide-nitride-oxide(ONO) structure.

FIG. 2 illustrates the removal of the gate oxide 4 from the region 100.A photo resist 8 is formed in the region 200 as a mask. The gate oxide 4in the region 100 is removed, preferably by wet etching using HFcontaining chemicals at temperatures lower than about 110° C., exposingthe surface of substrate 2. The photo resist 8 is then removed.

A high-k dielectric layer 9, a metal layer 10 and a hard mask 12 arethen deposited, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The high-k dielectric layer 9preferably has a k value of greater than about 4, more preferablygreater than about 8, and even more preferably greater than about 10.The thickness is preferably less than about 150 Å, and more preferablybetween about 20 Å and about 70 Å. In the preferred embodiment, thehigh-k dielectric layer 9 is formed of HfO₂. In other embodiments, thedielectric layer 9 comprises silicates such as HfSiO₄, HfSiON, HfSiN,ZrSiO₄, ZrSiON, ZrSiN, and the like, or metal oxides such as Al₂O₃,ZrO₂, HfO₂, Y₂O₃, La₂O₃, TiO₂, Ta₂O₅, and the like. Other materials suchas metal nitride, transition metal oxide, and transition metal silicatecan also be used. In some embodiments, the high-k dielectric layer 9 mayhave a composite structure with more than one layer, and each layer maybe formed of any of the previously discussed materials. The methods offorming the high-k dielectric layer 9 includes commonly used methodssuch as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD),plasma enhanced CVD (PECVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), etc.

The metal layer 10 preferably has a high work function, more preferablyof greater than about 4.8 eV. Preferably, high work function metals suchas nickel, rhenium, platinum, ruthenium, etc., metal nitrides such asMoN, TaCN, TiAlN, and metal silicides such as MoSi₂, HfSi, NiSi, etc.,are used. The preferred thickness of the metal layer 10 is between about20 Å and about 300 Å. The preferred methods for forming the metal layer10 include CVD, PVD, sputter, etc. Appropriate impurities may be dopedto adjust the work function. A hard mask 12, preferably formed of tetraethyl ortho silicate (TEOS), is formed over the metal layer 10.

A photo resist 14 is formed in region 120, as shown in FIG. 4. Theunprotected hard mask 12 in regions 110 and 200 is removed using thephoto resist 14 as a mask, preferably by wet etching. The photo resist14 is then removed. The remaining hard mask 12, which protects region120, is used as a mask for subsequent metal removal, and the metal layer10 is removed from regions 110 and 200, preferably by wet etching usingacids such as acetic acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrofluoricacid, hydrochloric acid, and the like. Hard mask 12 in the region 120 isthen removed, and the resulting structure is shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 6 illustrates a second metal layer 16 formed in regions 100 and200. The metal layer 16 preferably has a work function that is lowerthan the work function of the metal layer 10. More preferably, the metallayer 16 has a work function of less than about 4.6 eV and may comprisemetals such as aluminum, hafnium, tantalum, and titanium, etc. The metallayer 16 may also comprise metal nitrides such as TaN, TaPN, or metalsilicides such as NbSi₂, tantalum silicide, doped HfSi and NiSi, etc.The preferred thickness of the metal layer 16 is similar to thepreferred thickness of the metal layer 10, which is between about 20 Åand about 300 Å. The formation method includes CVD, PVD, sputter, etc.Impurities may be doped to change the work function of the metal layer16.

As shown in FIG. 7, a photo resist 18 is formed in region 100. The metallayer 16 in region 200 is removed, preferably by wet etching using acidssuch as acetic acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid, hydrofluoric acid,hydrochloric acid, and the like. The high-k dielectric layer 9 in region200 is also removed, preferably using a chlorine-based solvent, exposingthe gate oxide layer 4. In the preferred embodiment, the photo resist 18covers both regions 110 and 120. In alternative embodiments, photoresist 18 only covers region 110, so that the metal layer 16 in regions120 and 200 can be removed by a selective etching that only attacks themetal layer 16, not the metal layer 10. Photo resist 18 is then removed.

FIG. 8 illustrates the formation of a silicon layer 20. The siliconlayer 20 preferably comprises polysilicon and has a preferred thicknessof less than about 2500 Å, more preferably between about 500 Å and about2000 Å, and even more preferably about 1000 Å. In FIG. 9, the previouslyformed layers are patterned to form gate stacks 22A, 22B, and 22C inregions 110, 120, and 200, respectively. In the preferred embodiment,the gate stacks 22A, 22B, and 22C are patterned and etched using ionbombardment combined with chemical reaction. The silicon gate 20C may bedoped to have different work functions depending on whether a pMOSdevice or an nMOS device is to be formed. It may also be doped to have amid-gap work function, which is between about 4.6 eV and about 4.8 eV,regardless of the type of device to be formed. In alternativeembodiments, layer 20 comprises amorphous silicon.

Source/drain regions 30, inter-layer dielectric 32 and contact plugs 34are then formed for each device in the regions 110, 120, and 200. FIG.10 illustrates the resulting structure. The formation of thesecomponents is well known in the art and thus is not repeated.

In the preferred embodiments, a dual metal scheme, in which differentmetals are adopted for nMOS devices and pMOS devices in the core region100, is used in order to achieve symmetric and low threshold voltages(V_(th)) for both nMOS and pMOS devices. This is particularly beneficialfor very small-scale devices such as ultra-thin body MOS devices formedon silicon-on-insulator (SOI) or Fin field-effect transistors (FinFET),where channel implant has less effect on adjusting threshold voltages,and thus the low threshold voltages are preferably achieved by havingwork functions less than about 4.6 eV for nMOS devices and greater thanabout 4.8 eV for pMOS devices.

Referring to FIG. 10, the respective work functions of the gate stacks22A and 22B are preferably tuned by using different combinations ofmetals and dopants. Typically, for a composite gate having more than onelayer of materials, the work function of the gate is influenced mainlyby the layer closest to the gate dielectric, and the other layers act asconductors. Therefore, for the nMOS device in region 110, the workfunction of the metal gate electrode 16A is preferably lower than 4.6eV. The work function of the pMOS device in core region 120 is mainlydetermined by the work function of the metal gate electrode 10B, andthus the metal gate electrode 10B preferably has a higher work function,more preferably higher than 4.8 eV. With such a design, the balancedwork functions improve the performance of the device in the (core)region 100.

The requirements for devices in the second region 200 are different fromthat of the first region due to different function requirements. Forexample, the gate oxide 4C is typically formed of oxide with a greaterthickness, and thus can operate with higher operation voltages. The gateelectrode 20C is formed of polysilicon or amorphous silicon and is dopedto adjust the work function. Mid-gap materials with work functionsbetween about 4.6 eV and about 4.8 eV may be used.

A potential topographic problem arises when a MOS device in the firstregion 100 uses a metal gate only and a MOS device in the second region200 uses a silicon gate only. Referring back to FIG. 9, since thesilicon gate electrode 20C in the I/O region (region 200) is typicallysignificantly thicker than the electrodes of the metal gates 22A and22B, there exist step heights h1 and h2, which have typical values ofseveral hundred angstroms or greater, between the top surfaces of thesilicon gate electrode 20C and metal gates 16A and 16B, respectively.These step heights affect the subsequent processes and increasecomplexity and cost of manufacture. Therefore, it is advantageous tohave silicon formed on the metal gates in the first region 100. The stepheights will be significantly lower because the step heights will bemainly caused by the thickness of the metal gates in the core regioninstead of by the thickness of the silicon gates, which is significantlygreater.

One skilled in the art will realize that the sequence of process stepsdescribed in the preferred embodiments can be altered. For example, themetal layer 16 can be formed before the formation of the metal layer 10,and the high-k gate dielectric layer 9 can be formed and removed fromthe second region 200 before the formation of the gate oxide 4.

Although the present invention and its advantages have been described indetail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions andalterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, thescope of the present application is not intended to be limited to theparticular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, andcomposition of matter, means, methods and steps described in thespecification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readilyappreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes,machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps,presently existing or later to be developed, that perform substantiallythe same function or achieve substantially the same result as thecorresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according tothe present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended toinclude within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture,compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.

1. A method of forming an integrated circuit, the method comprising:providing a substrate having a first region and a second region, whereinthe first region further comprises a third region and a fourth region;forming a high-k dielectric layer on the substrate in the first region;forming a first metal layer having a first work function over the high-kdielectric layer in the fourth region; forming a second metal layerhaving a second work function over the high-k dielectric layer in thethird region; forming a gate dielectric layer over the substrate in thesecond region; forming a silicon layer directly on the second metallayer and the gate dielectric layer; patterning the high-k dielectriclayer, the second metal layer, and the silicon layer to form a firstgate stack of a first MOS device; patterning the high-k dielectric layerand the first metal layer to form a second gate stack of a second MOSdevice; and patterning the gate dielectric layer and the silicon layerto form a third gate stack of a third MOS device.
 2. The method of claim1 wherein: the first MOS device is an nMOS device and the first workfunction is less than about 4.6 eV; and the second MOS device is a pMOSdevice and the second work function is greater than about 4.8 eV.
 3. Themethod of claim 1 further comprising: forming a third metal layer in thefourth region, the third metal layer comprising a same material as thefirst metal layer; and patterning the first metal layer and the fourthmetal layer to form a portion of the second gate stack.
 4. The method ofclaim 1 further comprising doping at least one of the first metal layerand the second metal layer to adjust at least one of the first and thesecond work functions.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step offorming the gate dielectric layer over the substrate in the secondregion further comprises: forming the gate dielectric layer in the firstregion and the second region; and removing the gate dielectric layerfrom the first region.
 6. The method of claim 1 further comprisingremoving the high-k dielectric layer from the second region using achlorine-based solvent.
 7. The method of claim 1 further comprisingpatterning the gate dielectric layer by ion bombardment and chemicalreaction.
 8. The method of claim 1 further comprising doping the siliconlayer to adjust a work function of the silicon layer.
 9. A method offorming an integrated circuit, the method comprising: providing asubstrate having a first region and a second region, wherein the firstregion further comprises a third region and a fourth region; forming ahigh-k dielectric layer on the substrate in the first region; forming afirst metal layer having a first work function over the high-kdielectric layer in the fourth region; forming a second metal layerhaving a second work function over the high-k dielectric layer in thethird region; forming a third metal layer over the first metal layer inthe fourth region, the third metal layer comprising a same material asthe second metal layer; forming a gate dielectric layer over thesubstrate in the second region; forming a silicon layer directly on thesecond metal layer and the gate dielectric layer; patterning the high-kdielectric layer, the second metal layer, and the silicon layer to forma first gate stack of a first MOS device; patterning the high-kdielectric layer, the first metal layer, and the third metal layer toform a second gate stack of a second MOS device; and patterning the gatedielectric layer and the silicon layer to form a third gate stack of athird MOS device.
 10. The method of claim 9 wherein: the first MOSdevice is an nMOS device and the first work function is less than about4.6 eV; and the second MOS device is a pMOS device and the second workfunction is greater than about 4.8 eV.
 11. The method of claim 9 furthercomprising doping at least one of the first metal layer and the secondmetal layer to adjust at least one of the first and the second workfunctions.
 12. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of forming thegate dielectric layer over the substrate in the second region furthercomprises: forming the gate dielectric layer in the first region and thesecond region; and removing the gate dielectric layer from the firstregion.
 13. The method of claim 9 further comprising removing the high-kdielectric layer from the second region using a chlorine-based solvent.14. The method of claim 9 further comprising patterning the gatedielectric layer by ion bombardment and chemical reaction.
 15. Themethod of claim 9 further comprising doping the silicon layer to adjusta work function of the silicon layer.
 16. A method of forming anintegrated circuit, the method comprising: providing a substrate havinga first region and a second region, wherein the first region furthercomprises a third region and a fourth region; forming a high-kdielectric layer on the substrate in the first region; forming a firstmetal layer having a first work function over the high-k dielectriclayer in the fourth region; forming a second metal layer having a secondwork function over the first metal layer in the fourth region and overthe high-k dielectric layer in the third region; forming a gatedielectric layer over the substrate in the second region; forming asilicon layer directly on the second metal layer and the gate dielectriclayer; patterning the high-k dielectric layer, the second metal layer,and the silicon layer to form a first gate stack of a first MOS device;patterning the high-k dielectric layer, the first metal layer, and thesecond metal layer to form a second gate stack of a second MOS device;and patterning the gate dielectric layer and the silicon layer to form athird gate stack of a third MOS device.
 17. The method of claim 16wherein: the first MOS device is an nMOS device and the first workfunction is less than about 4.6 eV; and the second MOS device is a pMOSdevice and the second work function is greater than about 4.8 eV. 18.The method of claim 16 further comprising doping at least one of thefirst metal layer and the second metal layer to adjust at least one ofthe first and the second work functions.
 19. The method of claim 16wherein the step of forming the gate dielectric layer over the substratein the second region further comprises: forming the gate dielectriclayer in the first region and the second region; and removing the gatedielectric layer from the first region.
 20. The method of claim 16further comprising doping the silicon layer to adjust a work function ofthe silicon layer.